The contraction of smooth muscle is an essential process underpinning diverse physiological functions ranging from gastrointestinal motility to vascular regulation. At its core, smooth muscle ...

The heart pumps blood through the vascular system, supplying cells with oxygen and energy Smooth muscle cells in the vessels finely regulate the blood flow. If they cannot perform their task, ...

Using whole genome sequencing, researchers identified a single variant in a microRNA gene, MIR145-5p, as the source of multisystemic smooth muscle dysfunction syndrome, which had gone undiagnosed in a ...

A research group led by Dr. Keisuke Obara, Dr. Kento Yoshioka, and Professor Yoshio Tanaka from the Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University, has ...

- Muscle cells, also known as myocytes, are specialized cells designed for contraction and force production. Skeletal Muscle Cells: These cells are long, cylindrical, and have a striated (or striped) ...

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is the most common form of adult-onset muscular dystrophy, affecting about 1 in 8,000 people. While it is well known for causing muscle weakness and stiffness, DM1 also ...

A research group has uncovered important details about how platelet-activating factor (PAF)—a powerful molecule involved in inflammation and allergic reactions—triggers contractions in the smooth ...

Almost everyone shrinks with old age. Many older adults have more difficulty gaining muscle than they did in their childhood and teenage years. And when it comes to maintaining that muscle, the phrase ...